Poll: Kemba has lost a step. Can he can return to all star form?

[NKY fan]

I agree with most on here that trading Kemba at his lowest is not a good idea. (In retrospect trading Kyrie and Hayward the year they left or before was the correct move )..
However to me it looks like we have a collection of misfits / poor drafted players with little experience ... stevens will have them play adequate and make a run in the playoffs and once we meet a good (hot ) team like the nets maybe we will have absolutely no chance of eliminating them in the semis or ECF . Then we are back to where we are : a ton of excuses , players need development , patience , Kemba hasn’t had his legs. Sounds like a lose lose situation to me unless we trade for better role players.

[Moranis]

He is 30 and in his 10th year.  Even without the injury there was a chance he wasn't going to be in all star form again, but with the injury I voted no taking the question to have a level of realism in it.  I mean of course he could return to all star form, but I just don't think he will.

[td450]

Aren't you asking the wrong question? Even if he was exactly what he was last year, he would have to change. He can't play like that again. He has to modify his game to compliment obviously better players. Even with no drop off, he was never was as good as Jaylen is now.

I'm still hopeful, but I'm also not really convinced that last year's Kemba can make those changes. Its not like he is trying to play differently and is failing at it. He's really just trying to play like he did last year, and is failing at that.

[KingChre]

This is wildly premature

Why? He's been having knee problems for almost a year now. When is it OK to question this, when he retires?

I am not a fan of reactionary hot takes either, but this is most certainly not one. Kemba's future is absolutely questionable and he clearly is not playing to his previously set standards.

[Vermont Green]

Aren't you asking the wrong question? Even if he was exactly what he was last year, he would have to change. He can't play like that again. He has to modify his game to compliment obviously better players. Even with no drop off, he was never was as good as Jaylen is now.

I'm still hopeful, but I'm also not really convinced that last year's Kemba can make those changes. Its not like he is trying to play differently and is failing at it. He's really just trying to play like he did last year, and is failing at that.

I think it is even simpler or more fundamental than that.  He is just trying to get his core skills and conditioning back.  Then he can worry about fine tuning his game to be more or less the initiator of things or more complementary .  If he isn't able to get the core skills back to a reasonably high level, it won't matter how he adjusts his game.  In fact, he might be adjusting to coming off the bench.

The answer to the poll question is yes, as of right now, coming off rehab and knee procedures, he is missing a step, his skills and ability are well below what he was mid last season.  The tougher question is whether this is part of a normal rehab and recover process or if the drop off is permanent/irrecoverable.  Right now, I think it is more the former than the latter but I also have plenty of concern that he is one awkward landing from a set back in terms of his knee which will result in needing rest and further delay his progress toward restoring his skills.

To me, this is far more about his knee holding up than any ability or willingness to adjust his game.  I don't have any doubt that he can adjust his game and will adjust his game to help the team win.  He is a smart, experienced, player who has the right attitude.  If he has his game, he has plenty of ability to do what ever he needs to do with his game to fit in with this team.

[td450]

Aren't you asking the wrong question? Even if he was exactly what he was last year, he would have to change. He can't play like that again. He has to modify his game to compliment obviously better players. Even with no drop off, he was never was as good as Jaylen is now.

I'm still hopeful, but I'm also not really convinced that last year's Kemba can make those changes. Its not like he is trying to play differently and is failing at it. He's really just trying to play like he did last year, and is failing at that.

I think it is even simpler or more fundamental than that.  He is just trying to get his core skills and conditioning back.  Then he can worry about fine tuning his game to be more or less the initiator of things or more complementary .  If he isn't able to get the core skills back to a reasonably high level, it won't matter how he adjusts his game.  In fact, he might be adjusting to coming off the bench.

The answer to the poll question is yes, as of right now, coming off rehab and knee procedures, he is missing a step, his skills and ability are well below what he was mid last season.  The tougher question is whether this is part of a normal rehab and recover process or if the drop off is permanent/irrecoverable.  Right now, I think it is more the former than the latter but I also have plenty of concern that he is one awkward landing from a set back in terms of his knee which will result in needing rest and further delay his progress toward restoring his skills.

To me, this is far more about his knee holding up than any ability or willingness to adjust his game.  I don't have any doubt that he can adjust his game and will adjust his game to help the team win.  He is a smart, experienced, player who has the right attitude.  If he has his game, he has plenty of ability to do what ever he needs to do with his game to fit in with this team.

I think his problem is that he has a unique playing style that relies heavily on elite stop start athleticism and he shoots out of those moves a lot. He is executing the moves and creating the space like before, but it probably just feels just a bit different and it is throwing his shots off. It is not a good style of play to carry into your 30's, because he is relying on a narrow type of athletic advantage he has, and that is going away fairly quickly.

[Tr1boy]

Aren't you asking the wrong question? Even if he was exactly what he was last year, he would have to change. He can't play like that again. He has to modify his game to compliment obviously better players. Even with no drop off, he was never was as good as Jaylen is now.

I'm still hopeful, but I'm also not really convinced that last year's Kemba can make those changes. Its not like he is trying to play differently and is failing at it. He's really just trying to play like he did last year, and is failing at that.

I think it is even simpler or more fundamental than that.  He is just trying to get his core skills and conditioning back.  Then he can worry about fine tuning his game to be more or less the initiator of things or more complementary .  If he isn't able to get the core skills back to a reasonably high level, it won't matter how he adjusts his game.  In fact, he might be adjusting to coming off the bench.

The answer to the poll question is yes, as of right now, coming off rehab and knee procedures, he is missing a step, his skills and ability are well below what he was mid last season.  The tougher question is whether this is part of a normal rehab and recover process or if the drop off is permanent/irrecoverable.  Right now, I think it is more the former than the latter but I also have plenty of concern that he is one awkward landing from a set back in terms of his knee which will result in needing rest and further delay his progress toward restoring his skills.

To me, this is far more about his knee holding up than any ability or willingness to adjust his game.  I don't have any doubt that he can adjust his game and will adjust his game to help the team win.  He is a smart, experienced, player who has the right attitude.  If he has his game, he has plenty of ability to do what ever he needs to do with his game to fit in with this team.

I think his problem is that he has a unique playing style that relies heavily on elite stop start athleticism and he shoots out of those moves a lot. He is executing the moves and creating the space like before, but it probably just feels just a bit different and it is throwing his shots off. It is not a good style of play to carry into your 30's, because he is relying on a narrow type of athletic advantage he has, and that is going away fairly quickly.

Some good observation

This is why adjustments could be key

Like learning to shoot without that lift.  Incorporate high floaters.  Become better at running off screens/c&s. 

[Tr1boy]

Welp another stinker

Went 2-12 with team leading -16

Cant squarely blame him for tonight loss. But lack of help/production didnt help

[kraidstar]

The crazy thing is that is Kemba makes just a couple makes a couple more easy shots per game our record would be far better. A lot of these misses are open shots, it's not like he's hobbling around on one leg like Hayward was the season after his injury.

IMO the problem is at least partially between the ears.

[Uncle_Stingfinger]

he's awful.   danny should be fired for this team. he doesn't know how to build a winner anymore.   how do you miss this knee injury and sign him to this type of deal.   

[Tr1boy]

he's awful.   danny should be fired for this team. he doesn't know how to build a winner anymore.   how do you miss this knee injury and sign him to this type of deal.   

Tatum recruited him also

Danny wasnt happy with Irving situation

Perfect storm

[Tr1boy]

https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1359379172129468417?s=20

[blink]

https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1359379172129468417?s=20

well wishing and hoping that he is going to be 'the guy' isn't going to win us many games.
Brad needs to adjust on the fly a bit and use the talent we do have better. 
Danny needs to get on the horn and we need to use the TPE.

[liam]

https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1359379172129468417?s=20

This seems like the same thing Brad did with injured Hayward. Hayward left town and the team felt like Hayward was getting a free ride. It's not cool to have some guys earning there minutes and some being force feed minutes when they aren't producing.

[Androslav]

Still in a slump, shooting like Dikembe Walker.
The good news is we still have a trade deadline and/or a few months to get him ready come PO time.